Keyboard Works

1. Keyboard Sonata in E flat major, H. 16/49
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
with Geoffrey Govier

2. Andante with variations for piano in F minor, H. 17/6
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
with Geoffrey Govier

3. Keyboard Sonata in G major, H. 16/39
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
with Geoffrey Govier

4. Keyboard Sonata in C minor, H. 16/20
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
with Geoffrey Govier

5. Fantasia (Capriccio) for piano in C major, H. 17/4
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
with Geoffrey Govier

Album Description

Mozart Edition: The Complete Works will make a great gift this Holiday season for the music lover in your life or someone who is hard to buy for. This collection contains 170 discs of completed works by Mozart in one beautiful package. Also included is a cd-rom containing essays on his works, artist bio's, text and libretti's. At this super low price all music lovers will enjoy the Symphonies - Concertos - Serenades - Divertimenti - Dances - Chamber Music - Church Sonatas - String Ensembles - Violin Sonatas - Keyboard Works - Sacred Works - Concert Arias - Songs - Canons and Operas in this collection.

Customer Reviews:

a surprising offer.......2007-07-05

Complete works of Mozart for such a price is a surprising offer. We are pleased of the good quality, and the availability of otherwise difficult to find works of Mozart

Welcome to Perfection.......2007-06-28

Dispite what anyone else says, if god ever tried to talk to humanity it was through Wolfgang because his music is absolute perfection.It is the most beautiful music i've ever heard in my life( and this is coming from a 21 year old metal-head ).If one has second thoughts about buying this collection dispell them right now because this is probably the first item i've bought in a long time that i have not regreted.

Buy this as an encyclopedia of Mozart, then add other recordings..........2007-06-22

Brilliant Classics Complete Mozart edition, released for the 250th anniversary year of Mozart's birth (he was born in 1756), has much to recommend it. It contains almost all the works of Mozart, and has many fine performances: the piano sonatas by Klara Wurtz, Piano Concertos by Derek Han, Paul Freeman/Philharmonia, The Magic Flute, conducted by Charles Mackerras (licensed from Telarc), String Quartets by the Franz Schubert Quartet (Licensed from Nimbus) each stand out. The Symphonies, by the Amsterdam Mozart Academy/ Jaap ter Linden, are "So-so": I don't like the small period ensemble, but Symphonies 20, 40 (both versions: one with clarinets and the other without), 23, 24, and 34 are pretty good. Symphonies 1:I, 25 and 41 are sub-par: scrappy playing and weak violins make for a pretty rough experience. I would supplement this with the complete Mozart Symphonies by Karl Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic (DG), among the best recordings of these works, and the best complete set of Mozart's Symphonies, completed in 1968.

The Requiem, conducted by Nicol Matt (2001 recording) has had better performances, and for this I would recommend Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG) and Colin Davis/London Symphony (Philips), which use a larger choir and orchestra, and have more drama where it is needed. The other choral works conducted by Nicol Matt are better, especially "Exsultate Jubilate" motet, the short Masses, and "Ave Verum".

Also worthy of mention are the "Posthorn" and "Haffner" Serenades, by Colin Davis/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, licensed from Novalis for this release.

This is a great overview, and Brilliant Classics are to be commended for making it available at a low price, to get Mozart's music out to the mass public. It's a great buy, but I would get the Bohm Symphonies, and also Piano Concertos by either Ashkenazy/Philharmonia (Decca), Perahia/English Chamber Orchestra (Sony) or Anda/Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg (DG) for supplements. Also, Karl Bohm's recordings of the operas: The Magic Flute, the Marriage of Figaro, Idomeneo, and La Clemenza di Tito (all DG) are required listening, too. Recommended, but not as the only recording of Mozart's works.

Great value..Cant beat this deal at all!!!.......2007-06-13

As others have reviewed the product and highlighted that there are a few poor pieces... But who cares when there is 170 discs.. if you had have 10 cds that are poor quality and had a 160 disc set of good cd's and you paid $90 for the set.. would you be happy? I would think so... So don't get frustrated and just buy the set.. Enjoy the music for the price.. I am not going to go into details like others did but just buy the set!

Incredible Bargain.......2007-06-10

This offer is an incredible bargain at just over 50 cents a CD. The price jumps around often - you can sometimes get it for $4 or $5 less. but still at 50 cents. Mine arrived in excellent shape - it's hard for them to do otherwise. The way they are packaged they are either in good shape or some major disaster has happened destroying a whole bunch. Those I have played sound great. It will probably take a life time to play them all. Meanwhile we can just revel in our riches and feel all warm and fuzzy.
I also own the Bach set and am wildly happy with that as well.

Average customer rating:

Deserves 10 stars
Excellent Bach Collection
Wonderful way to enjoy all of Bach
Bach
An Absolute Essential for any Classical Music Enthusiast

Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Musettes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B000HRME5U
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Customer Reviews:

Deserves 10 stars.......2007-07-18

I've been an amateur classical music enthusiast for decades with over 1000 CDs in my collection. I have listened to ALL of the CDs in this box now at least once, many of them twice and some three times, with headphones, on my stereo at home or in the car. I found all the recordings to be excellent. A couple of the vocal CDs with ADD recording are old and one could hear some background hiss with headphones but this was not noticeable playing them over the home stereo. I loved the performances. The only "disadvantage" is that all the keyboard works are played on the harpsichord, and I do prefer Bach sometimes on the piano. And one could argue whether some famous musician's interpretation of a piece is "better" than the one found here, but it's a little like arguing whether the food is better at one 5 star restaurant compared to another--both meals are delicious, and which one you enjoy more is more dependent on the context of the meal--how you feel that moment, what's going on in your life, etc.--than the food itself. But bottom line, this box contains endless treasures at an incredible bargain price, and I can't recommend it strongly enough.

Excellent Bach Collection.......2007-07-05

I am a professional musician, composer and teacher. this collection is wonderful, recorded in Europe, and all that one would expect from talent in that part of the world (which on this set includes Nordic countries as well).
If you are into studying bach, euro recordings, musicology, this is a good purchase.
Only criticism is on a few recordings the balance/mix is not the best. However, it all sounds wonderfully recorded.

Wonderful way to enjoy all of Bach.......2007-06-28

One reason to buy this set is simply to acquire recordings of all Bach's surviving Cantatas. The only downside I've discovered so far is that I would have preferred his harpsichord music played on a piano.

Bach .......2007-06-08

Arrived in excellent condition -price was higher that I liked by a little bit

An Absolute Essential for any Classical Music Enthusiast.......2007-05-22

This comprehensive collection of all known Bach works is simultaneously the easiest and the most difficult set to review. "Easiest" because in a single set of some 150 CD's, one immediately has the entire Bach repertoire at one's hands, with the majority of individual recordings consisting of solid performances and good recording quality. "Difficult" because, due to the sheer number of performances, it would take many pages to individually and meaningfully write up a description that accurately conveys the range of entries within the set. But in a sense, this entirely misses the point. It is simply impossible to understate what Brilliant Classics has done for the classical music world with the release of a set like this. For the first time, one can own a comprehensive Bach collection for little more than the price of a single, good restaurant meal for two people. The fact can hardly be overstated: this set makes acquiring such a collection no longer the domain of only the wealthiest amongst us. This is most certainly the "democratization" of classical baroque music.

Over the years, I have certainly spent what often feels like exorbitant amounts of money on individual, and sometimes, box sets, of classical music. There is no denying the human skill possessed at the major recording labels, including experiential knowledge of the proper placement of microphones, the best mixing techniques, the optimal types of equipment selected for use, and then, of course, access to the world's greatest performers. We would never wish to lose that combination of talent, and there is no attempt here at minimizing either the value or the enjoyment that can be experienced through such endeavors. Quite the contrary. Such undertakings are both an art form and a technical skill that provides immense value to the world at large. And we should give kudos to those major labels who in recent years have begun to reissue classic records in box sets at much lower prices (Detusche Grammophon's "Collector's Editions" immediately comes to mind, as well as Philip's "Duo Series," and many others, not the least of which also includes Philip's recent reissue of the "Complete Mozart Edition.") But what we have here completely surpasses these in every respect, and opens up new possibilities for the average listener who does not have mountains of disposable income to put towards the acquisition of a classical music collection. There can be no question in my own mind that the people who put this set together did it far more for the sake of classical music as an art form rather than a money-making exercise. It is truly a meaningful contribution to the music world at large.

And what of the quality of the performances and the recordings? For the discs which I have already played, there are simply no real disappointments here. Some of the performances are on par with the "best of the best," and many of them are absolutely gorgeous. With a set this large, it is beneficial to read the multiple reviews individuals are posting to get a better sampling of the various sections of the overall set, but I've been quite pleased with what I've heard so far. I will likely update this post with more specific comments over time, but for now, let me just say that you should BUY THE THING BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS. You won't regret it, will probably be increasingly pleased over the years that you did, and hopefully will receive many years of enjoyment from the collection. Ten stars out of five, but even more important than that, a genuine "Thank you" to Brilliant Classics for what they have done for all of us here.

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording

Average customer rating:

Lost is Found, finally
Martha Argerich CD
Fabulous recording
Excellent
A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording
Martha Argerich
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Debut Recital / Martha Argerich
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Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concertos / Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra
Chopin: 26 Préludes, etc / Martha Argerich

ASIN: B00000IWVS
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: I. Allegro maetoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: III. Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: IV. Finale: Presto, non tanto
Mazurka No.36 In A Minor, Op.59 No.1
Mazurka No.37 In A-flat, Op.59 No.2
Mazurka No.38 In F-sharp Minor, Op.59 No.3
Nocturne No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
Scherzo No.3 In C-sharp Minor, Op.39
Polonaise No.6 In A-flat, Op.53

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Record-label politics prevented this awesome recording of Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich from being released for 34 years. The spitfire musician delivers a powerful set of Chopin's best-loved works that still sounds riveting today. Intense and gorgeous. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com essential recording

How can it be that a recording by one of today's indisputably unequaled pianists performing some of her prime repertory--made fresh within months of her triumph in the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition--could languish for decades in the vaults before its official release? Chalk it up to the exclusivity clauses of rival recording companies and legal constraints from which not even Wotan with the help of Loge could extricate himself. Thankfully this belated EMI release--recorded in a few sessions at the Abbey Road studios--is finally available.

It's a significant complement to Argerich's other accounts of Chopin on disc. From the white-hot intensity of Argerich's way with the composer, you can easily extrapolate a sense of what had recently wowed the jury in Warsaw. The Argentinean pianist undertakes the Third Sonata as a vast, big-voiced, far-reaching statement that encompasses both molten power and moments of almost unbearably intimate lyricism (listen closely to her gestures of illumination in the Largo). With a characteristically unforced spontaneity, Argerich sounds the shattering chords that launch the finale (recorded in one take); her sense of flow in the Nocturne No. 4 is a perfect mesh for the illusion of improvising that is so central to Chopin. She commands the logic--both emotional and musical--of the composer's skittish turns in the Scherzo No. 3 and crafts three of the mazurkas into perfectly chiseled character pieces. The sheer force of Argerich's personality might seem overwhelming to those accustomed to a tamer Chopin--listen to how she dives into the A-flat Polonaise--but it's always at work dusting off tired clichés and uncovering the music's expressive wealth. For those who know about Argerich's artistry, this disc is indispensable; anyone who has yet to make that enviable discovery will find it (together with the Argerich anthology in Philips' Great Pianists series) a great place to begin. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Lost is Found, finally.......2007-07-08

This Argerich Chopin performance, recorded by EMI in 1965 while she was actually under contract to DG is formidable for an artist so early in her career. Both the artistry and sound are superb and it's a shame we fans had to wait so long for this recording to appear. These Chopin performances completely justify the competition judges decision to award her the grand prize at the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition. It's a collection must have!

Martha Argerich CD.......2007-06-12

Excellent service -- speedy, just as described, well-packaged. I'd definitely buy from this seller again.

Fabulous recording.......2007-04-12

A most interesting history in the liner notes and a fabulous recording. One of the best for a piano CD collection.

Excellent.......2007-04-12

Only one word: Excellent.
Though someone might have different feeling, I'm crazy on this 1965 recording.

A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog.......2006-09-03

If I had to pick a single CD to win awed admiration for Martha Argerich, this Chopin recital would be it. Only 24 when she made these long-suppressed recordings, Argerich's musicality and dazzling technqiue defy belief. Every ounce of praise for her Third Sonata is deserved--it's spontaneous, flexible, intense, by turns tender and declamatory. The most blessed quality is that she doesn't bang or harangue us--not always the case in later years. Her sense of urgency doesn't become eckless; the bursts of excitment aren't oerly explosive.

My only caveat would be for audiophiles. Although an Abbey Road studio recording, you get the feeling somewhat that Argerich is performing in a boomy hall. Also, in the loudest fortes there's mircophone shatter. For many listeners these drawbacks won't matter a whit, not in the face of an undisputed keyboard genius.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music
The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!
GUITAR MAJESTY
Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection
A True Classic

Spanish Guitar Music

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Baroque Guitar
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ASIN: B00005YJ4Q
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Albeniz: Asturias
Albeniz: Tango
Sanz: Canarios
Rodrigo: Fandango
Torroba: Nocturno
Segreras - El Colibri
Albeniz: Sonata in D
De Falla: The Corregidor's Dance
De Falla: Fisherman's Song
De Falla: The Miller's Dance
Torroba: Madronos
La Nit de Nadal
El Noy de la Mare
Granados: Ma Maja de Goya
Abeniz: Cordoba
Tarrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Granados: Spanish Dance No. 5
El Testamen de Amelia
Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 4 in E Minor
Albeniz: Sevilla
De Falla: Homanaje
Mudarra: Fantasia
Turina: Fandanguillo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music.......2005-09-18

As a sampler, this CD is an excellent introduction both to Spanish classical guitar music and to guitarist John Williams.
The music ranges from Renaissance composers (Sanz, Mudarra) and harmonized folk melodies to standard 20th Century works (Rodrigo, Torroba etc).

John Williams is excellent throughout. The CD is also cheap, and can be used either just for enjoyment, or further to explore other recordings by Williams, the classical guitar repertoire, or other classical guitarists.

As a marketing ploy, it is very effective.

For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the CD are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this CD are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them (e.g. "from ______, Op # "). The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.

However, this CD should attract many listeners and enthusiasts both to the classical guitar, the repertoire, and guitarist John Williams - and I'm all for that.

Over 70 minutes playing time.

Recommended.

The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!.......2005-02-05

This admirable concept belongs to Hector Berlioz and it must not be a surprise the best guitarrists in the story have in common this trademark.

John Williams has always known the delicate equilibrium between the expresiveness and the glamouer. His impresive technique however is not exposed as his prima edonna. He goes directly to the soul of the composer, melts in his spirit and let the music sharp the qith eloquent conviction the composer's demanded atmosphere.

From Granados to Albeniz, from Rodrigo to Agustin Barrios - El indio Mangore -, from Moreno Torroba to Ponce , you will find the warmth, the passion and the Midas touch of this golden guitarrist.

GUITAR MAJESTY.......2004-12-21

John Williams is a true Guitar virtuoso. His repetoire is very extensive and I use his music in my office while I work at my daily office duties. This album is a must for all guitar enthusiasts old or young.

Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection.......2004-12-07

I originally bought this album three years ago, looking for a good introduction to Spanish guitar music. And this one fits that need perfectly. I still listen to and enjoy it today. I play this for guests at happy hour or dinner for a relaxed atmosphere. At Amazon's current price, this is a great value.

A True Classic.......2004-01-26

This album/cd is extraordinary. All the songs are gorgeous and exciting to listen to. John Williams' interpretation and technique are perfect. After 22 years of listening to it, I still enjoy and appreciate it more every time. I love giving it as a gift.

Average customer rating:

Why are you waiting?
Chopin: Favorite Piano Works
Chopin: Favorite Piano Works (London 2 CD)
chopins Mazurkas
REST FOR THIS WEARY SOUL

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus
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Liszt: Favourite Piano Works

ASIN: B00000427J
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Grande Valse brillante, op. 18
Fantaisie Imprpmptu, Op. 66
Nocturne In E flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
Waltz In A Minor, Op 34 No. 2
Mazurka In D Major, Op. 33 No. 2
Scherzo In B Flat Minor.D Flat Major, Op. 31
Waltz In A flat Major, Op 69 No. 2
Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2
Waltz In B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2
Ballade In G Minor, Op. 23
Mazurka In B Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 1
Waltz In G Flat Major, Op. 70 No. 1
Nocturne In B Major, Op 32 No. 1
Polonaise In A Flat Major, Op. 53

Tracks:

Ballade No3 In A Flat Major Op.47
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 45
Waltz In D Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 1 'Minute'
Waltz In C Sharp Minor, Op. 64 No.2
Etude In C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12 'Revolutionary'
Etude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5 'Black Key'
Nocturne In F Minor, Op. 55 No.1
Polonaise In A Major, Op. 40 No. 1 'Military'
Barcarolle In F Sharp Major, Op. 60
Prelude In D Flat Major, Op.28 No. 15 'Raindrop'
Etude In A Minor, Op. 25 No. 11 'Winter Wind'
Etude In E Major, Op. 10 No. 3 'Tristesse'
Scherzo No.3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39

Customer Reviews:

Why are you waiting?.......2006-12-16

Ashkenazy is one of the titans of Chopin. Davidovich and Arrau are the other two. They're all you need. Get Davidovich for the concertos, (inlcuding the Krakowiak--Op 14), Arrau for the nocturnes and a few micscellaneous pieces. Ashkenazy handles everything else.

(Btw, Ashkenazy vs. Davidovich re. the impromptus is a toss up. But since the impromptus aren't on this disc, you can make that critical decision another time.)

Ashkenazy's scherzo #2 (op. 31) IS the best. Period. Other interpretations that your favorite classical music station may substitute are downright lame.

The rest are basically sublime. The first and 4th ballades will send shivers up your spine by Vlad's sheer technical ability. His artistry is second to none.

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works.......2006-07-25

An excellent complilation of Chopin works which includes 3 of the pieces I am currently learning. Definitely has encouraged me to improve my piano skills and allow me to better appreciate his style of music.

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works (London 2 CD).......2006-02-24

Beautifully done 2 CD of Chopin works. I've played it every weekend since I got it, loving every track. It's well performed and recorded, and is an excellent collection for anyone interested in Chopin or his adopted homeland of Poland. And, of course, you can't often go wrong with the London Label.

chopins Mazurkas.......2005-08-08

this is a wonderful collection of the mazurkas but Ashkenazy plays a lot of them too fast my music teacher played these with more pathos he seems like he cant get done fast enough with some of them some introductions should be slower with more feeling otherwise all the mazurkas i wanted are in this disc just wish i had got better artist like Claude Arrau

REST FOR THIS WEARY SOUL.......2005-03-09

On vinyl I owned Ashkenazy's complete recordings of Chopin's piano works. Prior to purchasing this CD of what I call "highlights from Vladimir's Chopin Recordings", I had not replaced them in this format. What a joy it is to hear Vladimir Ashkenazy play these works again. I'm reminded of how much I loved his playing of Chopin on vinyl looking forward to each "new release" with great anticipation. Being, what is referred to, as a "senior citizen" , Chopin's music means ever so much to me offering rest for this weary soul. Vladimir Ashkenazy's performances on these discs are first rate and ones I truly love. As a previous reviewer pointed out, this compellation is a bargain-great price, great music, great sound and great performances by a master of Chopin's music.

If you love Chopin, as I do, buy this recording it will sooth your soul as only great music can.

Average customer rating:

Bedtime Beats: The Secret to Sleep
Not exactly....
Not what I expected.
Excellent relaxing music and sleep aid
nice try...

Bedtime Beats: The Secret to Sleep

Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000GH3PQ8
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

Vivaldi: Concerto in D Major, "Largo" -- Sharon Isbin
Ravel: Piano Cto. in G Major, "Adagio Assai" -- Anne Queffelec
Vaughan Williams: Greensleeves -- Davis/BBC Symphony Orchestra
Satie: Gymnopedie No. 1 & 3 -- Sado/Orchestre Des Concerts Lamoureux
Beethoven: Piano Cto. No. 5, "Adagio Un Poco Mosso" -- Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Ravel: Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte -- Nagano/lyon National Opera Ochestra
Puccini: Chrysamthemums -- Helsinki Strings
Mozart: Adagio for Violin and Orchestra in E Major -- Thomas Zehetmair
Chopin: Piano Cto. No. 2, "Larghetto" -- Maria-Joao Pires
Resighi: Villanella -- Scimone/I Solisti Veneti
Faure: In Paradisum -- Corboz/Berne Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, "Aria" -- Jill Crossland
Tchaikovsky: Andante Cantabile -- Alexander Kniazev
Debussy: The Girl With The Flaxan Hair -- Lily Laskine
Mozart: Piano Cto. No. 21, "Andante" -- Karl Engel
Chopin: Nocturne In E flat Major -- Elisabeth Leonskaja
J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Cto. In F Minor, "Adagio" -- Sharon Isbin
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, "Larghetto" -- Karl Leister
Saint-Saens: The Swan -- Gennadi Rojdestvenski
Albinoni/Giazotto: "Adagio" -- Sharon Isbin
Faure: Pavane Pour Orchestre -- Jordan/Orchestre De Chambre De Lausanne
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14, Moonlight "Adagio Sostenuto" -- Nikolai Lugansky

Album Description

Created to meet the needs of more than 40 million sleep sufferers and light-eyars beyond lullabies, Bedtime Beats: The Secret To Sleep is the first classical music collection available as a true sleep remedy, an effective alternative to medication and sleepless nights. Carefully programmed in accordance with recent research from Case Western Reserve University--which discovered that classical and soft jazz music played at 60-80 beats per minute induces sound sleep.

Customer Reviews:

Bedtime Beats: The Secret to Sleep.......2007-07-23

I love listening to soothing sounds to help me sleep at night. This CD is expecially relaxing to play when turning in at the end of the day. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to be lulled off to peaceful slumber.

Not exactly...........2007-05-14

This cd wasn't exactly what I was looking for, it does not really help you fall asleep. Some of the music can be annoying and it could have been more soothing.

Not what I expected........2007-04-26

I should have paid attention to the two negative reviews. This CD doesn't put me to sleep at all--in fact, it keeps me awake. I find myself listening to the music instead of going to sleep.

One of the pieces has irritating and dissonant passages mingled with relaxing, soothing passages. Also the music changes tempo and volume quite often, which would wake me up if I did start to drift off.

Since I expected something that would put me to sleep, listening to this is upsetting, because I wasted my money.

However, since it works well for most reviewers, I figure I must hear things differently, or have a harder time falling asleep than most. Maybe if I listened to it enough to get used to it, it might work better.

I would like to find something totally soothing and relaxing--maybe I need actual recordings of water or rain, but I prefer music. Any suggestions?

Excellent relaxing music and sleep aid.......2007-04-10

This CD collection is so effective that I still have not made it through the first CD to listen to the second one. It's very relaxing music and helps me fall asleep every night.

nice try..........2007-02-06

but no silver bullet. FOR ME. Lovely selection of tunes, and I find them quite enjoyable and relaxing, but they just don't "knock me out". I own a variety of "sleep CD's" but real music seems to be just too stimulating when I am having trouble sleeping. I do better with guided imagery. Yesterday, though, I brought it over to my mom's place and laid down to listen to it with her, because she was so stressed out. She was asleep before the third number!

Average customer rating:

Music to my ears!
Legend!
Probably the Best Piano CD ever!
An exquisite recording...read on!....
BRILLIANT!

The World's Favorite Piano Music

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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25 Piano Favorites
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My Favorite Chopin
Piano Favorites

ASIN: B000003F8F
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

Liebestraum No.3
Prelude In G Minor
Fur Elise
Turkish March
Prelude In E-flat
Reverie
Prelude In C-sharp Minor
Prelude In G
Waltz In A-flat
Consolation No. 5
Moment Musical No. 3
Intermezzo In E-flat Minor
Kinderszenen opus 15 Tramrei
Barcarolle
Intemezzo In C-sharp Minor
Prelude In C-minor
Fantasie-mpromptu

Customer Reviews:

Music to my ears!.......2007-04-04

I bought this CD as a "treat" for my 16 year old son, who has just finished a homeschool music course for one of his electives. The last part of the course required listening to music from all the great composers, Baroque through contemporary periods, and identifying the more famous pieces by name and composer. He not only enjoyed the course, he now actually listens to this CD for his own enjoyment (when he's not playing 80's rock). What more could a mother ask for? (I'll tell you. I ask him to borrow it, it's lovely.)

Legend!.......2006-10-11

This is the greatest compilation of recordings ever made by the legendary pianist Van Cliburn. Although I am a cellist, I wear this cd out on a regular basis both at the office and home. I actually have an extra copy to play at the office. All of these recordings are superb in sound quality, performance and incredibly inspiring. The Schumann, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Liszt pieces are stellar and my personal favorites. I only wish there were dvd's with Cliburn's performances for those of us too young to have seen him perform live. CD is a must-have for any classical music lover's collection.

Probably the Best Piano CD ever!.......2006-04-13

If you like Piano music, this is the CD for you. Van Cliburn is at home with great songs that anyone will recognize. It is a masterfully performed set of songs for anyone.

An exquisite recording...read on!...........2005-03-13

Contains a masterful rendition of Beethoven's "Fur Elise", which happens to be one of my favorite classical pieces -- I have a smooth-jazz-pop-dance version of this tune on my own album, "Classy Cool: Classical Favorites, Made Cool" (Google keyword "Motionizer" to find it)

BRILLIANT!.......2004-12-01

usually i don't listen to classical music that much.. i'm 14! but i really enjoy piano so when i saw this music i started to listen to it and i cant beleive how fantastic it is! It is a must have for piano lovers, because the mood of the music varies so much that there is something to suit every mood! My personal favourite is track 2 i can't stop listening to it! I really recommend this cd it is so good.

Average customer rating:

The Best of Erick Satie
A forerunner to minimalism
Wonderful
Richard review of Best of Satie
Got Satie?

The Best of Erik Satie
Erik Satie , Jérôme Kaltenbach , Klára Körmendi , and Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004SYFP
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.1. Lent Et Douloureux
Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.2. Lent Et Triste
Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.3. Lent Et Grave
Six Gnossiennes: No.1. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.2. Avec Etonnement
Six Gnossiennes: No.3. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.4. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.5. Modere
Six Gnossiennes: No.6. Avec Conviction Et Une Tristesse Rigoureuse
Je Te Veux (Valse)
Avant-dernieres Pensees: 1. Idylle/2. Aubade/3. Meditation
La Diva De L'Empire (Intermezzo Americain D'apres La Celebre Chanson)
Les Trois Valses Distinguees Du Precieux Degoute: 1. Sa Taille/2. Son Binoche/3. Ses Jambes
Sarabandes: Premiere Sarabande
Sarabandes: Deuxieme Sarabande
Sarabandes: Troisieme Sarabande
Trois Nocturnes: Premier Nocturne
Trois Nocturnes: Deuxieme Nocturne
Trois Nocturnes: Troisieme Nocturne
Reverie Du Pauvre
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.1. Lent Et Couloureux - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.2. Lent Et Triste - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.3. Lent Et Grave - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy

Customer Reviews:

The Best of Erick Satie.......2007-06-11

The reason I bought this product, is because I was familiar with the 3 Gymnopedies of Erick Satie and also another of his work: The Gnosiemme (I'm not sure about the spelling) No. 4. After listening to the CD I felt very happy with it because include both versions of the Gymnopedies, the Orchestral and the one for piano and of course the Gnosiemme No. 4 which I now like it very much. The pianist makes justice to Satie's work and if you like his work is a good buy.

A forerunner to minimalism.......2007-04-13

Satie is a forerunner to minimalism. Each piece of his music is a beauty. He also had great influence on many famous composers and musicians in his age. This album is one of the best piano classical.

Wonderful.......2006-07-07

Just a great collection from Erik Satie. I would highly recommend this one!

Richard review of Best of Satie.......2005-09-02

The recording is well done. Eric Satie is not the type of music that many people will appreciate. I like his music and this particular recording.

Got Satie?.......2005-07-27

... Well folks. This may be the perfect album to get started. This features some of the best-known works by the wierd and witty Erik Satie, including the Gymnopedies (both the original piano and the orchestrated versions), the Gnossiennes, just to name a few.

The performance done by pianist Klara Kormendi is relatively plain and simple, just as Satie might have wanted. Some of his music is actually not too difficult to play... A great CD at a budget price. Kudos to Naxos for a good performance at a good price.

Also, what I'm equally impressed is the fact that in this "appreciation" album, the listener will actually be listening to many "sets" of pieces. Some of those albums (Beethoven and Mozart for example) are mere collections of selected tracks, many just one movement of a large work, such as a symphony. In some you will only be listening to selected numbers of different large "sets" of pieces. In Chopin's for example one may listen only few of the 20+ nocturnes (No. 2 for example), 15+ waltzes, and 20+ mazurkas he wrote, so one would not feel complete listening to the whole "cycles" of short pieces. Satie, fortunatley, prefered using tiny sets of pieces, most of them only comprising of three movments each. Plus each piece is short. ALL of the three Gymnopedies. ALL of the six Gnossiennes. ALL of the three Sarabandes. ALL of the three nocturnes. One can already feel happy listening to couple "sets" within a single CD.

Once again, this may be the perfect album to get started with Erik Satie. And get ALL out of those pieces!!!

Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus

Average customer rating:

Great set, with a couple let-downs.
Serious sound issues
You must, among others, have this set.
Returning the "night" to the night piece
Don't know what to make out of it

Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000041ND
Release Date: 1997-08-12

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 3 In B, Op. 9 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 4 In F, Op. 15 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 5 In F Sharp, Op. 15 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 6 In G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 7 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No.1
Nocturnes: No. 8 In D Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 9 In B, Op. 32 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 10 In A Flat, Op. 32 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 37 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 12 In G, Op. 37 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 13 In C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 15 In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 16 In E Flat, Op. 55 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 17 In B, Op. 62, No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 18 In E, Op. 62 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 19 In E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 20 In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth.
Nocturnes: No. 21 In C Minor, Op. Posth.
Impromptus: No. 1 In A Flat Major, Op. 29
Impromptus: No. 2 In F Sharp Major, Op. 36
Impromptus: No. 3 In G Flat Major, Op. 51
Impromptus: No. 4 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 66

Amazon.com

Claudio Arrau considered the Nocturnes among Chopin's deepest, most searching works, rather than mere descriptive mood paintings, and he plays them that way. The same can be said vis-à-vis Arrau's Impromptus, with brooding textures and cosmic breadth that leave the drawing room behind. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Great set, with a couple let-downs........2007-05-31

Having owned the set for about a year now, I'm sorry to be giving it four stars, as Arrau brings something special to almost every one of Chopin's nocturnes. In short, his playing is occasionally labored, but for the most part he does carry melodic lines very well (and has a very natural and satisfying sense of rubato). The recorded sound isn't terrific, and all things considered I'm giving the CD four stars.

I'd like to add that I don't understand some other reviewer's complaints about heavy breathing or extraneous noises, as on my high-end speaker system I hear nothing out of the ordinary.

Serious sound issues.......2007-05-16

Most other reviewers here are, thankfully, much better qualified to review Mr Arrau's talents and interpretative strategies than I. However, what no one has mentioned up here (to my knowledge anyway) is the abysmal static issue on both discs. Almost every ten seconds a static wave obtrudes itself onto the sound--you can anticipate it and you will cringe every time you hear it (at least I did). It makes Chopin's beautiful numbers unbearable at parts, for Chopin relies so much on a pure and clear atmosphere of pensive motion--and this cannot be maintained on discs encumbered with such noxious static. Stand warned.

You must, among others, have this set........2006-11-24

Arrau's playing is unique, a throwback to the age of the romantic virtuoso of a century long gone. This set is rightfully famous, and is, with the 60's collection by Rubinstien and the 90's set by Pires, the three I have always most loved and recommended, though each is very different in its approach. Of the three, Rubinstein's is the most faithful to the "letter" of Chopin's score, but even then, Rubinstein's indomitable personality shines through. Pires takes some liberties with speed and dynamics-- so she rests nominally in the middle.

Then there is Claudio Arrau, and I agree with another reviewer that the pianist indeed treats each note as if matters. Does he dwell too much, slide into notes, take different dynamic turns, play with a rubato just this side of Paderewski or Busoni, and bathe the music in pedal at times?--yes, all of that. But let's face it, there is no "right" Chopin, and no recorded collection that is the be-all--because if so, it would sell Chopin's genius far short of its due. I and others choose to listen to all the above sets on their own terms and love all of them-- likewise the Cortot, and available selections of Horowitz, Godowsky, Friedman, Hofmann, etc. (Not to mention more recent, sublime interpretations in the concert hall by Tzimon Barto.) In any event, this 70's Arrau set holds its own,in its own way, with any and all of the above.

For years, this was the set I listened to on LP, both at home and transferred to cassette to play in the car. Rubinstein's later became a favorite for me, finally Pires's. For purposes of sound, either of the latter two are preferable, but sound is definitely a secondary issue. Regarding that, I must say that the CD remastering of the Arrau has heightened not only the breathing issues, but also the too-close miking of the keyboard, so that, especially in one channel of the stereo mix, the sound the piano mechanism itself is often heard. That's close miking, too close really, but so what. I can live with it and with Arrau's exchange of breath for the individual quality of his music.

In summary, this set should be in every collection, but so should the others, and perhaps three or four more that could be mentioned-- Cortot, perhaps Ashkenazy and Zimmerman too. Why so many? These pieces are part of the bedrock of romantic pianism, and far deeper in intellectual and spiritual intent than they are often credited with. On that, I agree with Arrau, that Chopin starts here, and should, after a wide foray, also finish here.

Returning the "night" to the night piece.......2006-09-10

Arrau's playing of the Chopin nocturnes emphasizes the extent to which these wonderfully well-crafted works belong to the realm of the night in all its Romantic mystery and, especially, longing (what an odd-seeming word for the 21st century!). Despite what some have claimed, his exquisite rubato is always musically justified and recalls Chopin's pupil Mikuli's comment that "Chopin's rubato possessed an unshakeable emotional logic. It always justified itself by a strengthening or weakening melodic line, by exaggeration or affectation." Always observing a fine cantilena, Arrau repeatedly works wonders in these marvellous pieces, making each into its own unique little self-contained variegated musical universe. In doing so, he fully realizes Liszt's apt depiction of Chopin as "a divine aristocrat, a feminine archangel with prismatic wings!"

Don't know what to make out of it.......2006-06-07

I've always had mixed feelings about Arrau's playing. While at times it can be indescribably beautiful and revealing, which is often the case with his sublime, if controversial, interpretations of Liszt, Arrau nonetheless seems to lack the necessary technique (I don't think that's the case) or the proper understanding to play certain works. Even though his uncanny ability to grasp the spirit of each composer whose music he plays is widely stressed, I think he's not that respectful of Chopin's music on this record - he does turn it into something else. To be sure, Chopin's works are obviously open to various interpretations and it would be risky to finger such or such pianist as having reached the 'true', 'real' Chopin - no one knows exactly what Chopin sounded like and the best we can do here is guessing - but this openness can't be understood as meaning that anything goes, that one interpretation is as good as the other, that there are no bounds or limits to interpretation. Here I think Arrau overasserts himself at the expense of what we know about Chopin's musical identity, as it were, though we can surely be proven wrong in the future. Who knows?

Average customer rating:

Picasso in sound
Great but NOT complete
There's only one.
Don't forget Satie was an Anti-Romantic
"Electric Spirit of Eric Satie" fans this is the one !

Satie: Piano Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002SBP
Release Date: 1992-01-23

Tracks:

Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie I
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie II
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie III
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Les Trois Valses distingu du preux dI: Sa taille
Oeuvres Pour Piano: II: Son binocle
Oeuvres Pour Piano: III: Ses jambes
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Gnossiennes: I Lent
Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Avec nnement
Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Lent
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Gnossiennes: IV Lent
Oeuvres Pour Piano: V Mod
Oeuvres Pour Piano: VI Avec conviction et avec une tristesse rigoureuse
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Mouvements en forme de poire, uatre mains: Mani de commencement
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prolongation du m
Oeuvres Pour Piano: I
Oeuvres Pour Piano: II
Oeuvres Pour Piano: III
Oeuvres Pour Piano: En plus
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Redite
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Croquis et agaceries d'un gros bonhomme en bois: I Tyrolienne turque
Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Danse maigre (a mani de ces messieurs)
Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Espa (Sorte de valse)
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Sonatine bureaucratique
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Nocturnes: I Doux et calme
Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Simplement
Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Un peu mouvement
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Premi penset sonneries de la Rose Croix: Air de ldre
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Air du Grand Maitre
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Air du Grand Prieur
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Le Fils des oiles: Prde du 1er acte: la Vocation
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prde du IIe acte: l'Initiation
Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prde du IIIe acte: l'Incantation

Tracks:

Jack In The Box: Prelude
Jack In The Box: Entracte
Jack In The Box: Final
Sports et Divertissements: Choral inappetissant
Sports et Divertissements: La Balanre
Sports et Divertissements: La Chasse
Sports et Divertissements: La Come italienne
Sports et Divertissements: Le Ril de la Mari
Sports et Divertissements: Colin-Maillard
Sports et Divertissements: La Pe
Sports et Divertissements: Le Yachting
Sports et Divertissements: Le Bain de mer
Sports et Divertissements: Le Carnaval
Sports et Divertissements: Le Golf
Sports et Divertissements: La Pieuvre
Sports et Divertissements: Les Courses
Sports et Divertissements: Les Quatre-Coins
Sports et Divertissements: Le pique-nique
Sports et Divertissements: Le Water-chute
Sports et Divertissements: Le Tango
Sports et Divertissements: Le Traau
Sports et Divertissements: Le Flirt
Sports et Divertissements: Le Feu d'artifice
Sports et Divertissements: Le Tennis
Oeuvres Pour Piano: I D'Holothurie
Embryons desseches: II D'Edriophtalma
Embryons desseches: III De Podophtalma
Preludes flasques (pour un chien): I Voix d'interieur
Preludes flasques (pour un chien): II. Idylle cynique
Preludes flasques (pour un chien): III. Chanson canine
Preludes flasques (pour un chien): IV. Avec camaraderie
En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): I Choral
En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): II Fugue litanique
En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): III Autre chose
En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): IV Fugue de papier
Apercus desagreables: I Pastorale
Apercus desagreables: II Choral
Apercus desagreables: III Fugue
Descriptions automatiques: I Sur un vaisseau
Descriptions automatiques: II Sur une lanterne
Descriptions automatiques: III Sur un casque
3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): De l'enfance de Pantagruel (Reverie)
3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): Marche de Cocagne (Demarche)
3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): Jeux de Gargantua (Coin de Polka)
Peccadilles importunes: Etre jaloux de son camarade qui a une grosse tete
Peccadilles importunes: Lui manger sa tartine
Peccadilles importunes: Profiter de ce qu'il a des cors aux pieds pour lui voler son cerceau
Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: I D'une maniere particuliere
Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: II Modestement
Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: III S'inviter
Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: I En y regardant par deux fois
Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: II Passer
Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: III Encore
La Belle Excentrique: I Grande ritournelle
La Belle Excentrique: II Marche franco-lunaire
La Belle Excentrique: III Valse du 'Mysterieux baiser dans l'oeil'
La Belle Excentrique: IV Can-can grand-mondain
3 Sarabandes: No. 1
3 Sarabandes: No. 2
3 Sarabandes: No. 3

Amazon.com

It's simple: in his various realizations of the piano music of Erik Satie, Aldo Ciccolini set a standard that has yet to be bettered. This compilation, drawn from recordings made between 1966 and 1971, is consequently the best of the best. Ciccolini always played Satie's music as though it had been written by Claude Debussy, not by some cheap charlatan or uneducated primitive (which, to an extent that is still debatable, Satie was). The result is that these seemingly simple piano pieces acquire a tonal allure that is as surprising as it is undeniable. They possess an understated sophistication that points directly toward Ravel and Poulenc, at the same time providing an opening to the minimalist aesthetic of the later 20th century. Ciccolini's playing is pliant and graceful, and under his fingers the music seems to breathe and come alive. What more could a composer or a listener want? --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Picasso in sound.......2006-02-19

Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Eric Satie were drinking buddies; it shouldn't be surprising that their work, though in different media, should bear striking similarities. This CD set replaces a very badly abused vinyl recording from the 1960s. No one plays Satie like Aldo Ciccolini. I do wish the Parade had been included, Satie wrote the music, Cocteau the libretto and Picasso did the sets and costumes-Satie's only ballet. Of course, the circa 1910 audience walked out. It's the story of an out-of-work ballet company that goes out onto the streets of Paris to try to get customers to come inside. The customers are stereotypes like the American in a cowboy outfit who adds the sound of this six gun to the music and the secretary who types through the encounter. The back wall of the theater was covered with Picasso designed neon signs flashing in bright colors throughout the performance. Across the front of the stage he'd strung acetate on which were playing street scenes of Paris from three cameras-red, blue and green. The men were way, way ahead of their times.

Great but NOT complete.......2004-12-23

Please note that this collection does NOT contain Erik Satie's complete works for piano. The collection makes no such claim, but at 5 CDs, some may assume it to be complete and none of the other reviews to date mention this. I am too lazy to do the research to come up with a complete list, but offhand I know that these songs are missing - "Je Te Veux", "Fantaisie-Valse" and "Valse-Ballet". These 3 are among my favorite Satie pieces, so yes, I think the collection is diminished somewhat by their absence.

Aldo Ciccolini always has been the greatest interpreter of Satie's work for piano. Ciccolini has a feel for Satie that no one else does, although I have to admit that I prefer a faster tempo to "Poudre D'Or" than the slower, introspective tempo Ciccolini always uses, but that's only a small matter of personal preference. These recordings were originally made in 1967 and 1971 and the sound quality is excellent. At the dawn of the CD era at various sessions from 1983-1986, Ciccolini recorded Satie's complete works for piano on EMI on 5 CDs. They are currently out of print in America, with the exception of one compilation CD (also available at Amazon at the time of writing) with Gabriel Tacchino playing the 2nd piano on the pieces for 2 pianos. Ciccolini was overdubbed playing the 2nd piano on the original recordings in this review. I have a slight preference for the later recordings, but many seem to prefer these originals. You can't go wrong with these, just understand that they are not complete and the missing songs are among Satie's best.

There's only one........2004-06-26

If you're reading this, you've already heard Satie's music, so I needn't to go into that. I do want to say that this is the only recording of Satie that is worth hearing. Ciccolini is the only foot that will fit the Satie glass slipper. Don't waste your money on the ugly step-sisters.

Don't forget Satie was an Anti-Romantic.......2002-02-25

No one could deny that setting every disperse music in a unique album is a remarkable job. But I didn't like much the approach of Ciccolini, which I knew around 1975 while getting borrowed the vinyl LPs in the Embassy of France in Buenos Aires. Now I'd like to explain to whom it may concern why do I feel that way.
Satie was an anti-romantic composer, at the point of creating the "furniture-music" (musique d'ameublement) which refuses that music could be so expressive as romantics wanted. Other ones clasifies him as a "Surrealist" composer (anti-romantic movement too), but there are no signs of dreams of unconsciousness through his work. Since that point of view you could play Satie's music anyway but expressively. Satie wasn't Debussy, besides the fact that they knew personally and admire each other. Could you play Debussy in a plain style without damage?. I don't think so, because Satie was farther of expressive tradition than Debussy: we can say that Debussy is a spirit of the XIX Century while Satie is a precursor of the XXth. Remember his own words: "I came to the world too young in a time too old".
The best performance I heard of the piano work of our composer was in charge of Jacques Fevrier on the excelent album called "Monsieur Erik Satie", with such a "sideman" as another member of the group of six as Georges Auric for the 4 hands pieces.
I wave goodbye with a great embrace to all Satie's fans.

"Electric Spirit of Eric Satie" fans this is the one !.......2001-08-17

Fans of "The Electronic Spirit of Eric Satie" will immediately recognize Aldo Ciccolini as one of the few musicians in touch with the true "Satie" style. The selections correspond to "Electric Spirit" ; except, performed as a good piano solo. The piano recording is done so well it's better than most orchestral versions. It sounds very much like "Electric Spirit" without orchestration nor electronic "boops" and "beeps"-- just a good piano. It's really just as funny and powerful; and here it has a class act. This performance is a rare find !

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Maximum Joy

Shura Cherkassy Live, Vol. 1

Shake 'Em on Down

Music: Jo & Jazz

Set the Stage Alight [Import]

Soul Diva Sessions

Radio Daze

Suk: Praga / Dramatic Overture for Large Orchestra / Meditation on the Old Czech Chorale Saint Wenceslas / Legend of Dead Victors / Towards a New Life

Speed of Sound

Reunion

Sex & Candy (Phantom) [CD-single]

Still Life

Presents Machine Funk Specialist

Arnold Schoenberg: Suite, Op. 29, for 2 Clarinets, Bass Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello & Piano / Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 (Sextet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas & 2 Celli) - Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez

Bayou Deluxe: The Best Of Michael Doucet & Beausoleil